Welcome to March! We hope you are having a great weekend and are ready to sit back, relax and catch up with all the latest Royal Caribbean news!

Royal Caribbean made a controversial change to its drink packages by removing the souvenir cup and access to soda machines.

Beginning March 15, the Coca-Cola souvenir cup and Freestyle machines will only be included with the soda package.

You can pay $4.99 to regain access to it with the purchase of a drink package.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean cruise ship blanketed by snow in major blizzard
• Reservations open for new train restaurant on Legend of the Seas
• What to do when crew members disrupt your meal experience
• I always do these 16 things the second I enter my cruise cabin to make it better
• 6 restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships we recommend over and over
• Why Royal Caribbean's European summer is its most ambitious
• The myth about who goes on cruises people need to stop believing
• I went to San Juan on a cruise and was blown away by how much fun I had on a budget
• Cruise passengers stuck waiting for blizzard turn delay into snow day fun

New RCB Video: This Is Why I Think You’re Crazy to Do This on a Cruise

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — This Is Why I Think You’re Crazy to Do This on a Cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

Royal Caribbean overhauls its prohibited item list

The list of things you can't bring on a cruise ship just got a big update.

The new look expands the list to include new additions, as well as add more context to other existing bans,

It appears Royal Caribbean wants to ensure it's clearer what you can and cannot bring on a ship.

I stole these genius cruise hacks that I can't wait to try on my cruise

Cruisers are always coming up with new ways to make their cruise better, and I stumbled on a treasure trove of cruise hacks.

Some of these hacks are clever changes, while others are things I'd never have thought to do myself.

Each offers a new possibility for making your cruise easier or better.

Complaints prompt Royal Caribbean to respond and make changes to a sailing

There was an uneasiness about a solar eclipse cruise, so Royal Caribbean acted swiftly.

Some passengers were worried their sailing wouldn't offer the perfect viewing of the solar eclipse. The issue was the sailing was marketed as being a solar eclipse trip.

This week, Royal Caribbean adjusted the itinerary after enough complains came in to ensure passengers would have the best chance of seeing this natural phenomena.

Royal Caribbean released new 2027-2028 cruises to book

There are new cruises you can book that have just been released.

Royal Caribbean added more Caribbean sailings to its 2027-2028 deployment, and they're available to book immediately.

These new offerings fill in some gaps for ships that didn't have every sailing revealed through April 2028.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

We've just released the 598th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast. In it, Matt looks at the recent trend of adding more casino space on cruise ships.

You can subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast via YouTube, iTunes, Google Play or RSS.

Happy Sunday, and I hope you had a great week. It was a busy week of Royal Caribbean fun, and I have a round-up of all of it in this hand-dandy blog post.

Royal Caribbean has added a non-smoking casino to another cruise ship, but this change is different.

After emerging from a scheduled drydock, Radiance of the Seas surprised guests with an unannounced change to replace the pub onboard with a non-smoking casino.

Adding non-smoking casinos isn't new, but this is the first time they've replaced a popular bar with a gambling space.

Royal Caribbean News

• Former Royal Caribbean CEO announces he's joining Norwegian Cruise Line to fix it
• Royal Caribbean adopts fine dining and entertainment in growing new food trend
• Florida passes bill that effectively kills chances of building new Tampa cruise port
• Cruise passenger arrested for having child sex abuse video on phone
• Royal Caribbean plans road improvement project that will fix transportation problems around Costa Maya
• Blizzard reroutes cruise ships
• Royal Caribbean cruise ship rescues small boat of people near Cuba
• Celebrity Cruise ship ends cruise unexpectedly after technical failure, next cruise cancelled
• The beach crew members love going to on CocoCay
• When should you stop cruising? How old is too old?
• Every cruise ship has these 7 hassles
• Inside an oceanview room on Utopia of the Seas
• Guide to Royal Caribbean status match
• The Royal Caribbean cruise questions you’re too embarrassed to ask

Video: The Boarding Day Trick Most Cruisers Don’t Know

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — The Boarding Day Trick Most Cruisers Don’t Know — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

5 best hidden gems to order at Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room

There are some truly underrated and lesser-known dishes you should be ordering in the Main Dining Room.

While you won't go wrong with the MDR staples, I think a few appetizers and entrees go overlooked but are some of the best food you'll find on a Royal Caribbean ship.

In my 20 years of cruising on Royal Caribbean, it's clear some of these items stand out as being fantastic.

Surprising things about going on a giant cruise ship for the first time

When Allie took her husband on his first megaship, the experience was very different from what he was used to.

There's nothing like an Oasis Class ship, which is why so many new cruisers are drawn to trying them.

Moving from smaller ships to Oasis Class introduced a few surprises and new favorites for Luke.

4 Dining surprises on Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship

When Legend of the Seas launches this summer, there's going to be changes to the dining options.

Royal Caribbean is never content to copy its ships, so there are always tweaks and changes. Dining is definitely one area we see the most variations when a new ship comes out.

The cruise line revealed all of the dining options coming to Legend of the Seas, including a few surprises.

6 Mistakes everyone makes when eating in Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room

I love eating in the Main Dining Room, but I've seen so many people making mistakes in how they eat there.

It's most common with new cruisers, but even established cruisers will sometimes slip up.

I think everyone wants to have a great meal every time they eat in the MDR, so I came up with mistakes to avoid.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

We've just released the 597th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast. In it, Matt talks through the curious situation happening with NCL leadership changes.

You can subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast via YouTube, iTunes, Google Play or RSS.

Hope you are having a great weekend.  Here is all of this week's Royal Caribbean cruise news.

Royal Caribbean added a new item to its banned list that has gotten a lot of mixed reactions.

Smart glasses are now banned from being worn in certain areas of the cruise ship.

The controversy about banning smart glasses stems from how is it fundamentally different than someone with a phone that can take photos.

Royal Caribbean News

• Forbes just named its first Five-Star rating restaurant on a cruise ship
• How I spent $972 on a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise - and what I'd do differently next time
• I go on Royal Caribbean once a month, but I usually skip 7 places on a cruise ship
• 20 years of Royal Caribbean cruises: What I've learned
• Royal Caribbean cruise rules beginners accidentally break
• 6 cool new gadgets that you can take on a cruise
• New cruise math: How your points are changing without disrupting your favorite line
• 5 reasons to avoid shopping for cruises by just price
• It's not too late to book a spring break cruise, but you need to act quickly
• Why bad cruise weather isn’t just a hurricane season problem
• Should you take a short cruise from Florida?

Video: Biggest Time-Wasters on Royal Caribbean

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Biggest Time-Wasters on Royal Caribbean — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Meet the cute puppy that will love on Legend of the Seas

When Legend of the Seas launches this summer, Skipper will be the "family dog" onboard.

The dog was recently born and now has a name.  Skipper plays on the traditional dog name each one has had, including Sailor and Rover.

Officially, Skipper will be the "Chief Dog Officer" and will live on the ship as a pseudo mascot and part of the crew.

He spent $500,000 in the cruise ship's casino to earn high roller rewards

Craig gambled enough in Royal Caribbean's casinos to earn its highest loyalty tier, which includes a lot of extra perks.

By his estimation, he had to have played through at least $500,000 to earn the 100,000 cumulative points to reach Masters level.

While the amount of money to wager is staggering, the benefits are equally compelling.

I always ask these 7 questions on a cruise and it makes a big difference

It's so important to speak up and get your cruise the way you want it by asking 7 questions.

Some of these questions are said out loud, and others are ones you should be asking yourself. 

Asking all of them will likely get you a better cruise overall.

Your embarkation day on a cruise, explained

The first day of a Royal Caribbean cruise is busy, but we have an easy guide to what to expect on embarkation day.

From check-in to muster drill to dining reservations, there's plenty happening and it can feel overwhelming for a new cruiser.

Luckily, Royal Caribbean makes the process quite easy but knowing what to expect can make it a lot more manageable.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 596th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt is asked if an old ship will be disappointing.

Many cruisers are hesitant to try an old ship because they're worried it won't be nearly as good as a new ship.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Happy early Valentine's Day! Hope the holiday is filled with chocolate, flowers and a Royal Caribbean cruise! I'm spreading the Royal Caribbean love with our look at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week.

Nine passengers were arrested on drug charges as they were boarding a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in Miami.

According to the Miami Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted in a drug bust on Symphony of the Seas.

The passengers were boarding an Atlantis charter cruise, which is billed as "The World’s Biggest Gay Festival At Sea," according to the event website.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean ship diverted from CocoCay due to temporary pier issue
• New puppy born that will live on Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship
• I chose a bad cruise room even though all the advice said not to
• Next time you stay on the ship in port, try this one quiet-ship trick
• Cruise ship rooms
• Is a balcony worth it on Alaska cruises?
• 9 things I wish I knew before setting foot on a Celebrity ship
• The best time to cruise to Alaska
• 7 Things I'd do differently on my next Silversea cruise
• How Royal Caribbean fixed The Bahamas' biggest cruise problem in just weeks
• How to plan a cruise with first timers without overwhelming them
• I've taken 33 cruises with Royal Caribbean. Here’s why I love cruising with them

Video: The Best Things To Eat On A Royal Caribbean Cruise

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — The Best Things To Eat On A Royal Caribbean Cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

A Royal Caribbean ship is back after propulsion issues, and CocoCay is back to normal

A double dose of good news to share this week, with Anthem of the Seas back in service and CocoCay fully operational once again.

Anthem of the Seas resumed sailings after having to cancel one sailing due to a propulsion problem.

Perfect Day at CocoCay had a temporary issue with its pier that has been resolved as well.

Royal Caribbean ship makes unscheduled stop at Labadee

Labadee, Haiti is closed, but Oasis of the Seas made an unscheduled stop there for a brief period.

The ship made a stop in order to drop off relief supplies.

Oasis is sailing a 6-night Western Caribbean sailing and made the visit as it was making its way.

One Medicare mistake leaves seniors uncovered on cruises

A recent study showed too many seniors mistakenly rely on Medicare in case of an emergency on a cruise ship.

The issue is they assume their Medicare coverage extends abroad, when it does not.

The study found too many seniors went on cruises without adequate medical and evacuation coverage.

6 things I wish I knew before staying in a cruise ship suite

Suites are an amazing kind of cruise ship room to book, but there are important things to know before you stay in one.

If someone is trying a cruise ship suite for the first time, they might not be aware of all the perks and amenities they can take advantage of during their stay.

While the suite benefits won't recoup the total cost of the room, it does make splurging far more worthwhile.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 595th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, breaking down what the Discovery Class announcement is missing.

The announcement left more questions than it answered, and Matt breaks down the possibilities.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Happy weekend! We hope you are in the midst of a wonderful weekend full of things to do to pass the time between cruises.  We have a summary of all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in case you missed any of it!

At long last, Royal Caribbean announced it's building the Discovery Class cruise ships.

The announcement was made, but there's no indication yet what the size will be, what features will be onboard, or any other clues about what will make Discovery different.

The first ship will be ready in 2029.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean's AI push helps explain why cruises cost more
• Royal Caribbean CEO shoots down rumors of what Discovery Class ships could be
• Judge agrees to review urban development plan semi-related to approving Perfect Day Mexico project
• Winter storm rerouted two ships to have a cruise to nowhere
• Royal Caribbean ship skips private island and shortens port visit because of winds
• Royal Caribbean delays return of cruise ship by a day because of winter storm
• Royal Caribbean opinions that divide cruisers, according to Reddit
• What you gain (and lose) by choosing an older cruise ship
• Drink package vs Diamond Vouchers
• Is a balcony cabin on your cruise worth it? 7 reasons to try one
• 4 things that are different about dinner on a cruise ship in the 80s vs today
• It's been two years since Icon of the Seas debuted. How it went from launch to legend

Video: Royal Caribbean Confirms a New Discovery Class Ship

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Royal Caribbean Confirms a New Discovery Class Ship For 2029 — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

First sailing of Legend of the Seas has been moved up

Royal Caribbean added an even earlier first sailing on Legend of the Seas this summer.

For the second time, the inaugural sailing has been changed as a result of the new cruise ship being ready even sooner than expected.

Guests that were booked on the previous first sailing will have the first chance to switch to the new voyage.

4 reasons your cruise will cost more in 2026

Royal Caribbean Group executives said it pretty clearly this week: cruise prices are higher than last year.

A combination of strong demand and strategic pricing have pushed prices higher, and we're now seeing the result in advertised fares.

During an earnings call with analysts, there were four signs that point towards a more expensive cruise in 2026.

Is 3 nights enough time on Utopia of the Seas?

As the newest Oasis Class ship, is it worth it to sail for just 3 nights on Utopia of the Seas?

While your time onboard is limited, it's still one heck of a weekend escape to enjoy the very best Royal Caribbean has to offer.

Truthfully you cannot do everything in that short time span, but there's still a lot of good reasons to go anyway.

Should I use a travel agent to book a cruise?

I think everyone should use a travel agent to book a cruise, especially first timers.

Travel agents can be an incredible resource for planning cruise vacations because of their deep knowledge of the lines, ships, and cabins. 

Plus, they could even save you money with access to special fares.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 594th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, sharing things Matt is annoyed by from other guests.

Unfortunately, some people that go on a cruise do things that are truly irksome and Matt has a list of his personal worst of the worst list.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Happy weekend! I hope you're staying warm and if it's snowing where you are, enjoy the beauty and remember you could be on a cruise instead! In the meantime, I've got all of this week's Royal Caribbean news to share with you.

Royal Caribbean has begun building a new Icon Class ship, with plenty more to go along with it.

Construction officially began on the unnamed fifth Icon Class cruise ship at a shipyard in Finland.

Two other Icon Class ships are also under construction, plus a 7th Oasis Class ship. That means there are four Royal Caribbean cruise ships being built at the same time.

Royal Caribbean News

• Damage to Mexican pier forces Royal Caribbean and NCL ship to skip visits
• China, Japan tensions force Royal Caribbean to make more changes to cruise ship itineraries
• New cruise terminal plans announced for Los Angeles
• Royal Caribbean combo packages: What's included in a bundle and is it worth it?
• I tried Hooked again after years of avoiding it. I was surprised how much better it has become
• Why doesn't Royal Caribbean have overnight visits to its private island
• How to get wrinkles out of clothes while on a cruise
• I visited Norway on a cruise. Our trip would've been better if we had done these 5 things differently
• 8 Ways to meet people and make friends on a cruise
• Royal Caribbean soda package review
• Is a refundable cruise deposit actually worth paying for?

New RCB Video: The tricks to getting your Royal Up bid accepted

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — The tricks to getting your Royal Up bid accepted — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean cancels cruise two days before it begins

Anthem of the Seas will be sidelined and its next cruise cancelled because of a propulsion problem.

An email says, "a technical issue on its last sailing" forced the cruise line to cancel the sailing that was scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

Instead, Anthem will limp home and return to Sydney later than expected.

Winter storm forces Royal Caribbean to end cruise a day early

A Royal Caribbean ship sped back to its homeport earlier than expected to avoid the worst impact of a giant winter storm expected to hit Texas.

The Oasis Class ship skipped a visit to Cozumel and went immediately to Galveston.

The cruise line said it made this choice, "to give you the best chance at a safe and uninterrupted journey home."

Is it rude to skip the Main Dining Room without telling your waiter?

What's the proper etiquette for informing your Main Dining Room waiters if you're coming to dinner the next night?

A lot of cruisers will let their waiters know if they have alternate plans, but there is a raucous debate how out of your way you should go to tell them.

Being polite is important to a lot of cruisers, but it's an interesting debate.

Man found dead in his room on Royal Caribbean cruise sailing from Singapore

A 27-year-old man was found dead in his cabin as a cruise ship returned to its homeport.

The incident occurred on Ovation of the Seas, which had returned to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore.

Police do not suspect foul play based on preliminary findings.

Comparing the Alaska cruise ships in Alaska in 2026

Royal Caribbean will have four cruise ships in Alaska this year, so which is the best option?

The biggest change will be a Quantum Class ship will offer one-way sailings from Seward for the first time, allowing you to combine a land tour with a big ship experience.

Each ship has its pros and cons, so here's what to consider before you book one.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 593rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, reflecting on the new Points Choice program.

Now that we have the details of how you can earn loyalty points while sailing on other cruise lines, Matt shares his thoughts on what it means.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Hope you had a great week and are staying safe out there. Hopefully you had a chance to keep up with what's new with Royal Caribbean this week. But if not, here's a roundup of this week's news.

Royal Caribbean has cancelled all of its Labadee visits for 2026.

Visits had been suspended through April, but the cruise line made the decision this week to cancel the rest of the scheduled visits through the end of December.

Gang violence has not gotten any better, and concern for safety prompted the change.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Beach Club Paradise Island review
• A new proposal could solve the Tampa cruise problems limiting ship size
• 7 takeaways from Royal Caribbean's Points Choice reveal to expand loyalty
• Inside the $10,000 Ultimate Family Cabana
• I took 4 friends on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It was actually a great guys' trip for men our age.
• Do you need a passport for an Alaskan cruise?
• What a Junior Suite on the newest cruise ship is like
• The Bahamas wants to build a new cruise port on a tiny, hidden island
• The "super flu" ruined one family's cruise vacation after everyone got sick
• 9 things new cruisers wish they knew before their first Royal Caribbean cruise

New RCB Video: Royal Beach Club Review: Best excursion ever?

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Royal Beach Club Review: Best excursion ever? — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Group launches Points Choice

It's about to become easier to cruise across any of the Royal Caribbean Group brand with the launch of Points Choice.

Beginning at the end of this month, you can earn loyalty points when cruising on any cruise line within the Royal Caribbean Group family.

Points can be moved up to 14 days after a sailing, with changes managed online.

Royal Beach Club updated the menu to offer more food and healthier choices

Less than a month after opening, Royal Caribbean revamped its food menu at the Royal Beach Club so that it can offer more options.

Citing guest feedback, the menu received an update this weekend to add fresher and lighter array of choices.

Plus, other menu items were reworked to rely less on fried food.

Royal Caribbean reversed an unpopular change to its specialty restaurant

Grilled vegetables are back on the menu at Izumi hibachi once again, following controversy that it was removed.

The menu was updated recently to remove grilled vegetables from the included food choices. Instead, it would cost $5 to add it.

Royal Caribbean has now rolled it back to include them as part of the hibachi meal.

Passenger misses ship after going to the wrong port

A cruise ship passenger got confused and went to the wrong Florida homeport and missed their cruise completely.

The confusion stemmed from where "Port Everglades" is versus "Port Canaveral".

Furthermore, their appeal to join the ship in The Bahamas was denied.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 592nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, breaking down potentially big cruise ship news.

If the rumor mill is right, Royal Caribbean could be on the brink of revealing they're working on two different new ship classes at the same time.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Happy weekend! We hope you are enjoying a wonderful and relaxing weekend and managing to stay warm. Now it is time to sit back with a cuppa tea or java, and check out the latest in Royal Caribbean cruise news.

A woman was charged for defrauding her clients over $50,000, including making fake Royal Caribbean cruise bookings.

Tavia Thomas is alleged to have defrauded families by taking payments for vacations and failing to actually book them.

Thomas faces three counts of third-degree grand larceny, three counts of first-degree scheme to defraud, and two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean breaks ground on new Miami cruise terminal
• Quantum of the Seas embarkation delayed by over four hours because of medical emergency
• The Royal Up bid trick (it's all luck and availability)
• 16 Do's and Don'ts of taking a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2026
• Can you cruise with a felony?
• 8 ways to celebrate a birthday on your Royal Caribbean cruise
• Rare look inside a cruise ship captain's living quarters
• The trick to finding cheap cruises is picking the right time
• 10 stylish and casual outfits that are perfect for a cruise and the office

New RCB Video: Boarding day cruise ship tips for 2026

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Boarding day cruise ship tips for 2026 — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

Royal Caribbean rumored to announce new ship class soon

A new report claims a French shipyard is poised to announce plans to build a new Royal Caribbean ship class.

According to the report, it's for a "a class of medium to large tonnage ships for Royal Caribbean."

It's speculated this could refer to the Discovery Class ships.

Royal Caribbean banned new tech gear

There's now a new list of things Royal Caribbean won't let you bring on a cruise ship.

The cruise line's list of banned items that you aren't allowed to bring on a ship now includes more cybersecurity gear.

The changes include things like satellite dishes, routers, and more.

Royal Caribbean recategorizes some cabins on Legend of the Seas

Passengers booked on Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship got emails about a change in room assignments.

Guests booked in certain cabins on Legend of the Seas got a notification that cabins have been recategorized and it's necessitated a change in rooms.

That's lead to some people to be upgraded or moved to a different cabin that can accommodate their party size.

16 best foods on Royal Caribbean

There's lots of great food to try, but Matt has his list of 16 best food that he'll eat every time.

While he admits he's no food critic, these are routinely the kind of food that never disappoints.

French onion soup, crepes, Tomahawk steak, and more made his list. 

Welcome to the first week of 2026, and here is your look at all of the Royal Caribbean news you might have missed in the past week.

At just 5 years old, Aydin is the youngest person ever to reach Royal Caribbean's highest loyalty program tier.

While sailing on Star of the Seas, he was recognized by the ship's crew for making it to Pinnacle Club status at a special ceremony.

He's been on enough cruises in his short life to earn 700 points in Crown and Anchor Society.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean passengers impacted by airspace closures after U.S. strike on Venezuela
• New way to buy cruise line merchandise without being on a ship
• You might be able to save up to $400 on a Royal Caribbean cruise with new discount codes
• Our readers say these are their favorite Royal Caribbean cruise ship snacks
• Non-refundable deposits: What are the restrictions and is it worth it?
• 10 New Year's cruise resolutions to make in 2026
• After 14 cruises in 2025, these are the best things I did on Royal Caribbean cruise ships this year
• Inside vs balcony cabin on Wonder of the Seas
• Can you bring alcohol on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Video: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide for 2026 cruises

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide for 2026 cruises.

Royal Caribbean made a change to the menu at its most popular specialty restaurant

Cruisers have noticed Royal Caribbean recently dropped what's included at Izumi hibachi.

Vegetables are seemingly now not included anymore with the meal, and it's just the proteins and fried rice.

Grilled vegetables are offered either as one of the proteins or for a $5 surcharge.

3 Royal Caribbean rumors that might be confirmed in 2026

With a new year, maybe this is when we'll get confirmation details about three major rumors.

The cruise line always has a number of projects and initiatives in development, but there can be information leaks occasionally.

I hope this is the year we'll get further details on a few key rumors that have been swirling for a long time.

What this strange looking thing on a cruise ship is really for

No, it's not a harpoon. But a lot of cruisers think this is something much more nefarious than it really is.

On Oasis Class ships, the pool deck has a retracted piece of equipment that is often the source of intrigue.

While there are plenty of funny ideas, it's a pretty mundane piece of equipment.

Why are cruises so popular right now?

Cruises have never been more popular, and it's largely because of how attractive they are for a vacation.

By 2028, 42 million people worldwide will go on a cruise and that's up from 34.6 million in 2024.

This rapid growth is fueled by a growing segment of the population that is intrigued to try it out.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 590th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with Matt reminiscing about things he wishes Royal Caribbean would bring back.

Some concepts and features were so good, and yet, they were removed.  He'd love for a few of them to be brought back because they were so darn good.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Happy New Year! Before we pop champagne and toast to a better year next year, we have a look back at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week to share.

Royal Caribbean quietly added one more cruise deployment for new cruises to book in 2027-2028.

The "Remaining Caribbean" deployment was added to the schedule and will be released in a few weeks.

What it entails remains to be seen, but there could be some answers to missing ship questions.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean started its Christmas and New Years sale
• The top Royal Caribbean news stories of 2025
• When could Royal Caribbean's new Points Choice start?
• 6 mistakes I wont be making on Royal Caribbean cruises in 2026
• How I'd rank 4 different inside cabins
• The 5 most underrated cruise ship activities people skip too often
• Royal Caribbean Blog staff holiday wish list
• 13 things to know before going on Wonder of the Seas

Video: The BEST and WORST Cruises I Took in 2025

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video: The BEST and WORST Cruises I Took in 2025.

Royal Caribbean is launching 3 extraordinary projects in 2026

As we look forward to 2026, Royal Caribbean is ready to launch three big new projects.

Cruise fans have good reason to be excited, as we're going to get more than just a new ship.  It's going to be a year of incredible expansion.

By the end of the year, we'll have not only a new ship to sail on, but new places to explore.

The unwritten rules of the cruise buffet

Thou shall know the buffet rules before going up for seconds!

Before you hit the Windjammer or El Loco Fresh, you should be aware of unwritten cruise ship buffet rules that you're expected to know.

Buffets are about as ubiquitous on cruise ships as horns on cars, but it's not a free-for-all in there.

Royal Caribbean's new beach club have readers rethinking trips

Now that the Royal Beach Club is open, people are starting to reconsider their plans in Nassau.

Traditionally, Nassau has been a "let's stay on the ship" port because it lacked quality excursions. 

That's changed with the opening of the beach club, and cruise fans are taking note.

Big vs Small ship: What it's like to try the smallest ones

Many cruisers start off with big ships, but then start to wonder what it's like to go on a small ship.

Royal Caribbean's fleet has ships of many sizes, including a few that have much less than 4,000 passengers.

Elizabeth went on Vision of the Seas and was pleasantly surprised by how un-disappointed she was.